Disclaimer: I do not own Grand Chase. I do, however, own Kieran (regretfully), but if you'd like him, he's all yours. :D
The Necromancer then stepped into the light of the torch outside. I now saw why he simply looked like a shadow; he wore a black cloak with a hood, and it covered him almost completely. His face was shadowed, save for his mouth, and the cloak ended just above his boots, lengthening then at the sides and dragging behind him as he moved. He carried a staff taller than he was. He bowed slightly to Lass, who was head and shoulders taller than the small shadowed man. Lass returned this gesture, and standing in front of this man, he looked like an angel, with his silvery hair falling in his eyes slightly and his light clothing. I was mesmerized for only a minute by the night and day difference between these two, and couldn't help but feel like it symbolized something more, though I shook the feeling off roughly.
While I was distracted, they had some sort of exchange that I missed. When I shook myself, however, the Necromancer seemed to notice me.
"And who might your little friend be, over there?" he gestured his staff towards me, still looking at Lass. Though I couldn't see his eyes, so I wasn't sure if he was really still looking at Lass.
I couldn't be sure, but it seemed like Lass' next move was to place himself in between myself and Kieran. It was slow and fluid, and I'm sure it was meant to look like he wasn't doing anything of the sort. I wasn't even sure if I was just over thinking it.
"Her name is Arme. She's the reason I came to seek you today." Lass' cool voice responded.
"I sense she is powerful." I saw a flash of a smile before he disappeared. His disappearance unsettled Lass as much as it did me. Lass shifted stances and began looking around. I heard Kieran's voice behind me, and I started.
"Care to explain to me why you're here? I'd much rather hear it from you than from him. You're cuter." When I spun around to see him, still the only thing I could see of his face was his annoying smile. I frowned, and took a deep breath to settle myself.
"I lost my friends in the battle with Kaze'aze. Lass said you might know how to bring them back." I kept the details small to keep myself from crying at the memory.
"Ah, how unfortunate. My condolences. But information comes at a price. Are you willing to pay it?" After all the missions the Chase had done for the people of Bermesiah, and even the people of Ellia, we had money to spare. We had never had much to spend it on while on our journey, except for food when we were in a village, or new armor or weapons. Still, there was much left.
"I have plenty of money. How much are you asking for?" I felt Lass' presence behind me as I spoke. Kieran frowned at me, and shook his head.
"I am not asking for money. I have no need for it. No… I'd like… Something else." The smile returned, and the way he spoke sent a chill down my spine. Lass moved up beside me, and I saw his left hand poised over where he hid his dagger.
I was almost afraid to ask. "What are you asking for, then?"
Kieran laughed. "Not what you are thinking of, little one! No no, I'd like a taste of your power. You are the one who defeated Kaze'aze, no? Even after years, I could not compare to this feat. I would like to see this power in action. Battle with me!" The free hand not holding his staff then swished open his cloak dramatically, and he leaped backwards, crouching, a smile on his face. Lass stepped in and readied his weapon.
Kieran waved his staff in a small circle, and suddenly Lass was grabbed by a skeleton. "I demand a fight with her, stay out of this!" He growled from his place, staying motionless.
I readied my own wand and looked at Lass. "I can handle myself, don't worry." He sighed, but he relaxed, and the skeleton let him go. He sheathed his daggers and stepped back.
"Excellent! Then let us begin!" Kieran shouted, and the purple orb on his staff began to glow. I didn't know the type of magic Kieran specialized in, nor did I know the way he fought. I started by casting Saver over myself.
The small clearing was suddenly filled with skeletons. They were ugly, and clumsy, and nothing I hadn't fought before. Skeletons weren't the only things there, there were a few Dark Anmons as well. I quickly counted a dozen, and I realized I was dealing with a pro.
I started dashing around, casting firebolts and lightning bolts. I quickly realized how used to fighting with others I was, and tried to keep myself from becoming overwhelmed. Yet every time I took one monster down, a new one would replace it. I teleported out of the range of a swing of a Dark Anmon Soldier, safely to the sidelines. I charged my mana, and casted Meteor before they could reach me. It killed most of them, and as I readied another firebolt to take down the last one, I realized that the others were getting back up.
I mentally swore as I realized what was going on. Kieran could continue to raise the ones I killed over and over. At this rate, this was a test of stamina. In an instant I knew what I had to do. I teleported behind Kieran, and I knew I had caught him off guard. I shot Stone Curse at him, and watched as he helplessly tried to dodge it. He didn't have enough time, and it hit. He quickly began turning to stone, and I readied to hit him with my staff. He was quick, though, and before the hit connected, he pulled out, with the one hand that had yet to turn to stone, a small sword from his belt that I did not know was there. He held it steady against my staff, matching my strength with one hand. This didn't surprise me, I knew I wasn't that strong. We struggled like this for a few seconds before he threw me off. I leaped backwards and was about to throw an Energy Ball at him when he broke from the stone and leaped out of the way. The Energy Ball flew off into the darkness of the surrounding forest.
I heard him shout "Curse!" and I quickly sidestepped to avoid whatever he was throwing at me. I watched a ball of dark energy wiz past my ear, blowing my hair out of my face, narrowly missing me. We then started circling, throwing different spells at each other, dodging and blocking. His movements started becoming slower, his skills gaining more time in between each use. I knew I was close to finishing this, so I backed off a bit and began charging my mana. He threw another black energy ball at me, one that I now knew that if it hit me, I became utterly confused and disoriented. A simple heal had recovered myself from the status, though, and I knew his skills lied in summoning things, not cursing magic. I had never given him enough time to summon anything, so the battle had continued in my favor.
When the black ball neared me, I purposely shifted into it's way, and let it hit the orange orb of my wand, blocking it. However, I made it out to look as though I had been hit, and as I predicted, he began attempting to summon in the timeframe. I let him summon, charging my own mana as I pretend to try and heal myself. He managed to get some more Dark Anmon Scouts up before I was done, and I teleported in front of him and whispered "Electric Spark", jumped, and swung my wand down. He braced himself for being hit with my wand, holding his staff up in a defensive position. I simply smiled, as I knew this was useless. Electricity began to rain down, hitting everything around me, destroying the monsters he had just summoned, and bringing him to his knees.
The electricity faded, and Kieran clung desperately to his staff to keep himself upright, breathing heavily. I dropped to the ground and pointed my wand at his head, the yellow edging resting against his forehead. "Firebo-" Something grabbed my wand and broke my concentration.
I looked up to see Lass, a frown on his face. "That's enough. You've won, you don't need to take it that far." His cool voice chided.
At his words of disappointment, I realized what I was about to do. My eyes widened, and I took a sharp intake of air. I dropped my staff and covered my mouth with my hands, and began crying. "Lass… I was… I was… I just about…" I hiccupped, and couldn't finish my sentence. Lass simply wrapped his arms around me and held me as I cried.
I know what it's like. I know what it's like to lose control, to watch yourself do something you never would have done on your own. I know how scary it is to watch, helpless, as your body is used for evil. But is your body really being used for evil? The evil witch is dead, this could not be her doing. Is this simply who you really are? Your reaction says otherwise, but I haven't known you long. But you saved my life twice. I'll stand by you, whatever it is you do. I'll trust you, as much as I don't want to. And I'll help you, until I've repaid the dept I owe to you.
A/N: I seem to do a lot of writing during when GC goes into maintenance. I think that's when the majority of my stuff is written, actually. This was written on the 13th, mind you. I know it's been a while since then.
That last paragraph is actually Lass' thoughts on Arme. I wanted to write it to clarify his actions a bit, and the way he was acting towards her, because I know he's seeming a little too friendly for barely knowing her at the beginning (and at the end there, too), and now you know why. As of right now, he actually doesn't have feelings for her. He respects her, and intends to repay his dept to her, but he's actually a bit afraid of her. Teehee, I've read so much Lass/Arme fanfiction, this seems so opposite of what they're normally portrayed as.
I wrote that whole fight scene while listening to Ai no Senshi from Sailor Moon. It's epic fight music, in my opinion, and helped inspire me. I know the fight scene is still majorly lacking, though, as I suck at them. BUT LOOK, THERE WAS SOME ACTUAL ACTION IN THIS CHAPTER! No real plot advancement, but… ACTION! AND THAT'S TOTALLY ALL THAT MATTERS, RIGHT? :D
Oh, and if you were wondering, yes. Arme was about to kill Kieran. Well, I'm assuming lighting a man's head on fire would kill them, so… Yeah. She was about to kill him. BUT WHY SHE WAS IS A SECRET~
That chapter was shorter than originally intended, but the fight scene dragged on so I didn't feel like adding the next part to this chapter. I feel like this is enough. Also, I know that fight scene was lame beyond anything ever written, but I suck at fight scenes. I'm especially bad at ones based around magic. So just believe me when I say that I tried my best and spent hours writing and rewriting it.
Also, I got a Wii U yesterday and am in love with it. If anyone else has one, I'm always interested in getting some friends!
Another long A/N...
-Barrows